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S/N |
Title |
Synopsis |
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I. Subject Area: Environmental Policy and Regulation |
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1 |
The European Council of Ministers adopted the new emissions trading law that sets limits on carbon dioxide emissions from energy sectors and gives carbon dioxide a market value across Europe from January 2005. |
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II. Subject Area: Environmental Technology |
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2 |
A Japanese company has developed an epochal soil-cleaning technology to extract heavy metals from contaminated soil. |
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3 |
US researchers have developed a liquid formula of sodium azide as a substitute pesticide for methyl bromide. |
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III. Subject Area: Environmental Pollution and Health |
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4 |
A US district has methods and procedures on maintaining healthy indoor air quality in its schools. |
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IV Subject Area: Waste Recycling |
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The Taiwan government has launched a six-month, nationwide programme for recycling garbage and leftovers at fast-food restaurants. |
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6 |
A New York-based company has successfully converted garbage into oil in its pilot plant by a process called thermal depolymerization. |
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V Subject Area: Renewable Energy |
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7 |
Royal Dutch Shell has entered the European wind energy market by buying 40% of a wind park in northeast Spain. |
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VI Subject Area : Climate Change |
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8 |
The European Union put more pressure on Russia and urged it to quickly ratify the Kyoto Protocol at a recent EU ministerial meeting. |
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9 |
Greenhouse Gas Controls Pushed by Climate Alarmists Offer Economic Pain, No Gain |
A report released by the Fraser Institute, an independent Canadian think-tank, warned that the link between human activities and climate change has been overemphasized, together with the push for economically costly and ineffective environmental policies. |
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10 |
Utilities not responding to financial risks of climate change, warns report |
An Investor Responsibility Research Center report suggested that large carbon-emitting companies are not disclosing the financial risks posed by climate change adequately and warned that the world will soon have to look at fuels like hydrogen and renewals. |
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SUMMARY REPORT
Period Covered: 21 Jul to 27 Jul 2003
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Europe Adopts Climate Emissions Trading Law |
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Summary
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The European Council of Ministers adopted the new emissions trading law that sets limits on carbon dioxide emissions from energy sectors and gives carbon dioxide a market value across Europe from January 2005. The new legislation would enable the European Union to meet its emissions limits under the Kyoto Protocol. It is also expected to promote innovation and create new opportunities for companies within the EU. The emissions trading law could also be extended to other sectors such as the chemical, aluminium and transport sectors in the future, as well as other greenhouse gases such as methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulphur hexafluoride. |
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Reference |
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Teijin Fibers Develops Epochal Soil Cleaning Technology |
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Summary
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A Japanese company, Teijin Fibers Limited in cooperation with Ehime University, has developed an epochal soil-cleaning technology to extract heavy metals from contaminated soil. The process is an extension of Teijin's secondary waste processing technology for recovering high quality polyester raw materials from used polyester products such as fibre products and PET bottles. Heavy metals are precipitated with iron elements in the polluted soil via an on-site process called precipitate flotation. The clean soil is subsequently re-buried and the heavy metals can be separated and recovered for reuse. One advantage of the technology is that the heavy metals can be extracted selectively without removing the polluted soil. Chlorinated hydrocarbon compounds and other organic compounds can also be extracted by the technology. Besides soil cleaning, the technology is also applicable for the detoxification of fly ash and the treatment of wastewater containing heavy metals. |
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Reference |
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Researchers Developing Pesticide Substitute |
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Summary
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Researchers from Auburn University have developed a liquid formula of sodium azide as a substitute pesticide for methyl bromide. The formula, SEP-100 can be decomposed into fertilizer and does not eliminate beneficial nematodes and insects like methyl bromide. The formula is applied using drip irrigation under plastic sheeting without spraying or release into the atmosphere. Tests were carried out on crops in Auburn and Brewton in south Alabama and patents are pending for SEP-100, as well as registration with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The formula is expected to be commercially available by the growing season in 2004 for a limited number of crops. |
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Reference |
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Item 4 |
School districts focus on indoor air quality |
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Summary
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A US district has methods and procedures on maintaining healthy indoor air quality in its schools. Huber Heights City Schools is involved in the Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Kit Programme which was developed by the EPA to tackle the deteriorating conditions of the nations' schools and alarming rise in asthma cases. The district maintains indoor air quality by regular filter changes and using antibacterial tablets to inhibit mold and mildew in air conditioning units. The district also takes to more expensive actions like replacing carpet with tile and linoleum, replacing exhaust fans or large HVAC units to provide better ventilation. Extensive masonry repairs, roof maintenance and replacement to inhibit water intrusion into buildings, which can cause mold growth, have also been completed. More baits and traps instead of chemical pesticides are also used. Expenditures and top $1 million annually. |
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Reference |
www.enn.com/news/2003-07-22/s_6778.asp |
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Item 5 |
Taiwan has programme for recycling fast food |
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Summary
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The Taiwan government has launched a six-month, nationwide programme for recycling garbage and leftovers at fast-food restaurants. The project, which began on 1 July, requires 600 fast-food restaurants run by seven major chains to install extra facilities for proper recycling of recylable garbage. The experiment will become a policy for all fast food outlets on 1 January next year. According to the Republic of China Environment Protection Agency, diners must now sort their garbage into four categories - leftover food, recyclable paper, liquids and regular waste. All garbage is then deposited into appropriate receptacles. |
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Reference |
www.washtimes.com/upi-breaking/20030723-071047-1982r.htm |
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Item 6 |
Company Seeks Fortune Turning Garbage into Oil |
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Summary
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A New York-based company, Changing World Technologies has successfully converted garbage such as computers, old tyres, turkey bones and feathers into oil in its pilot plant by a process called thermal depolymerization. This process is similar to the natural process for oil formation. The waste is shredded and ground into slurry before it is fed through an intense heating and pressuring process to separate out the oil, which is subsequently refined. The oil produced from the process costs about half the wholesale price for a barrel of oil. Although some industry observers had reservations on the large-scale operation of the process and marketability of the products, the company has plans to build a plant to process 200 tons of turkey bones and feathers daily into 500 barrels of oil and other products together with a large U.S. food manufacturer, ConAgra Foods Inc. by the end of 2003. |
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Reference |
http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/21583/newsDate/22-Jul-2003/story.htm |
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Item 7 |
Shell enters Europe wind power market with Spain buy |
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Summary
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Royal Dutch Shell has entered the European wind energy market by buying 40% of a wind park in northeast Spain, the energy giant reported. Shell had bought the stake in the La Muela Wind Park from TXU Europe Energy Trading BV in a deal that may mark the beginning of commercial-scale wind operations in Europe for the Shell group of companies. La Muela has a total capacity of 99 MW. Shell already owns four wind parks in the United States, and announced separately that it would build a fifth in Texas. |
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Reference |
www.planetark.org/avantgo/dailynesstory.cfm?newsid=21620 |
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Item 8 |
EU Urges Russia to Swiftly Ratify Kyoto Protocol |
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Summary
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The European Union put more pressure on Russia and urged it to quickly ratify the Kyoto Protocol at a recent EU ministerial meeting. Russia accounts for 17 percent of the carbon dioxide emissions in 1990 and its ratification would bring the protocol into force. Russia's economy ministry had announced earlier that the treaty would not be detrimental to the country's interests and ratification was a political decision for the government. The EU Environment Commissioner was hopeful that Russia would make the decision to ratify by the ecological summit on the protocol's future in September. |
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Reference |
http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/21571/newsDate/21-Jul-2003/story.htm |
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Item 9 |
Greenhouse Gas Controls Pushed by Climate Alarmists Offer Economic Pain, No Gain |
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Summary
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A report released by the Fraser Institute warned that the link between human activities and climate change has been overemphasized, together with the push for economically costly and ineffective environmental policies. The Fraser Institute is an independent public policy organization that examines the role of competitive markets in providing for Canada's economic and social well-being. Kenneth Green, the Institute's chief scientist and author of the report pointed out that people have been misled into thinking that if you increase greenhouse gas concentrations, you automatically get global warming. But nothing could be further from the truth. Many systems that affect the climate are poorly understood, and could easily offset or cancel any greenhouse gas induced warming. Thus the causes of observed changes must be understood before scarce resources are diverted into potentially fruitless and costly policies. |
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Reference |
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Item 10 |
Utilities not responding to financial risks of climate change, warns report |
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Summary
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Investor Responsibility Research Center suggested in its report 'Corporate Governance & Climate Change: Making the Connection,' that most of the largest carbon-emitting companies in the world are not adequately disclosing the financial risks posed by climate change. The report also noted a wide disparity in corporate governance responses to climate change is seen between US and European energy companies. Oil companies based in the United States continue to devote 'virtually all development efforts' toward fossil fuels, while their competitors in Europe 'are gaining a foothold in renewable energy technologies that are among the fastest-growing energy sources'. Although expenditures on renewables only make up a tiny fraction of their budgets, BP and Royal Dutch/Shell have pursued 14 items that respond to emerging issues related to climate change. US-based ChevronTexaco, ConocoPhillips and ExxonMobil have pursued only five items. The report warns that although fossil fuels have been the driver of economic growth for more than two centuries, a tipping point is coming soon when the world will start to look beyond these fuels to new energy sources like hydrogen and renewables. The greatest risks will be with those who intend to carry on business as usual. |
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Reference |
www.sparksdata.co.uk/refocus/fp_showdoc.asp?docid=98984926&accnum=1&top |